Attention! Some of this material is not in the public domain.
It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.
To inquire about permissions and rates, contact Emily Ezust at 
If you wish to reprint translations, please make sure you include the names of the translators in your email. They are below each translation.
Note: You must use the copyright symbol © when you reprint copyright-protected material.
Spazieren wollt ich reiten, Der Liebsten vor die Tür, Sie blickt nach mir von weitem, Und sprach mit [großen Freuden]1: «Seht dort [meines]2 Herzens Zier, Wie trabt er her zu mir. Trab [Rößlein]3 trab, Trab für und für.» Den Zaum, den ließ ich schiessen, Und sprengte hin zu ihr, [Ich tät]4 sie freundlich grüssen, Und sprach mit Worten süß: «Mein Schatz, mein höchste Zier, Was [macht ihr]5 vor der Tür? Trab [Rößlein]3 trab, Trab her zu ihr.» Vom [Rößlein]3 mein ich sprange, Und band es an die Tür, Tät freundlich sie umfangen, Die Zeit ward uns nicht [lange]6, [In Garten giengen]7 wir [Mit liebender Begier]8; Trab [Rößlein]3 trab, Trab leis herfür. Wir sezten uns da nieder Wohl in das grüne Gras, Und sangen hin und wieder [Die alten Liebeslieder, Bis uns die Äuglein naß, Wegen der Kläffer Haß]9. Trab [Rößlein]3 trab, Trab, trab fürbas.
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)1 Brahms, Kücken: "großer Freud' "
2 Kücken: "mein's"
3 Kücken: "Rößli"
4 Kücken: "und thät"
5 Kücken: "machst hier"
6 Brahms, Kücken: "lang"
7 Kücken: "Im Garten gingen"
8 Kücken: "Sie schaut ins Auge mir."
9 Kücken:
Ach! wüßt' ich doch noch was? O, Liebchen, was ist das, Dein Äuglein wird ja naß!
Brahms:
Die alten Liebeslieder, Bis uns die Äuglein naß, Von weg'n der Kläffer Haß
Authorship
- from Volkslieder (Folksongs) , "Von alten Liebesliedern", appears in Des Knaben Wunderhorn, collected by Achim von Arnim [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)
- by Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897), "Von alten Liebesliedern", op. 62 (Sieben Lieder) no. 2 (1874) [sung text checked 2 times]
- by Hans Huber (1852 - 1921), "Von alten Liebesliedern", published 1899 [ alto and men's chorus ], from 6 Chöre für Männerchor und Vorsänger, no. 4, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Wille & Co. [sung text not yet checked]
- by Alfred Kohl (1843 - 1887), "Von alten Liebesliedern", op. 5 (Sieben zweistimmigen Lieder mit Pianoforte ad lib. ) no. 5, published 1885 [ vocal duet with piano ad libitum ], Leipzig, Eulenburg [sung text not yet checked]
- by Friedrich Wilhelm Kücken (1810 - 1882), "Altes Liebeslied", op. 14 (Lieder und Gesänge) no. 4 [ voice and guitar ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Friedrich Wilhelm Kücken (1810 - 1882), "Altes Liebeslied", op. 25 (Fünf Lieder für gemischten Chor) no. 5 [ mixed chorus ], Magdeburg, Heinrichshofen's Verlag [sung text not yet checked]
- by Ambrosius Metzger (1573 - 1632), "Von alten Liebesliedern", published 1612, from Venusblümlein, Nürnberg [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Erik Meyer-Helmund (1861 - 1932), "Altes Liebeslied", op. 36 (Drei Lieder ) no. 3, published 1887 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Ries & Erler [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "D'après d'anciennes chansons d'amour", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this text: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor] , Harry Joelson
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 32
Word count: 144
I wanted to go a-riding, To arrive before the door of my beloved, She is looking for me from afar, And says with [great joy]: "See yonder the adornment of my heart, How he is trotting toward me. Trot, dear horse, trot, Trot on and on." The rein, I let it free, And shot off to her, [I]1 greeted her in a friendly manner, And spoke with sweet words: "My treasure, my greatest adornment, What are you [doing]2 in front of the door? Trot, dear horse, trot, Trot over to her." I sprang from the horse of mine, And tied it to the door, Joyfully I embraced her, Time did not hang heavy on our hands, We walked in the garden [With loving desire]3; Trot, dear horse, trot, Trot softly forth. We sat down In the green grass, And sang, every now and then, [The old love songs, Until our eyes were wet with tears, Because of the hatred of the yappers]4 Trot, dear horse, trot, Trot, trot on your way.
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Translations of title(s):
"Altes Liebeslied" = "Old love songs"
"Von alten Liebesliedern" = "Of old love songs"
2 Kücken: "doing here"
3 Kücken: "She gazed into my eyes"
4 Kücken:
Ah! if I still knew what? Oh, darling, what is this, Your eyes are becoming wet with tears!
Authorship
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2017 by Sharon Krebs, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: 
- a text in German (Deutsch) from Volkslieder (Folksongs) , "Von alten Liebesliedern", appears in Des Knaben Wunderhorn, collected by Achim von Arnim
This text was added to the website: 2017-11-24
Line count: 32
Word count: 171